Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Del Norte pitcher Shay Nolan (left) and catcher Carlee Harper
By Ray Hamill — Mark April 30 on your calendars.
That’s the day the Big 5 softball championship could be decided when the Del Norte Warriors host the Fortuna Huskies in Crescent City.
The two heavyweights of this year’s Big 5 faced off in a pivotal doubleheader at Fortuna High on Saturday and they ended the day in much the same place as they started it after sharing the spoils with a win each.
The Huskies took an exciting back-and-forth opener 8-7, ending the Warriors’ eight-game winning streak in the process.
But the Del Norte girls responded in a manner befitting of two-time defending conference champs and rolled to a 12-1 win in game two, ending the Huskies’ eight-game winning streak in the process.
The split leaves both schools neck and neck in the Big 5 standings.
The Huskies are 4-1 in conference and still hold a slight advantage having played one game more than the Warriors, who had a midweek bye in conference play and are 3-1.
But you can expect the Del Norte girls to win their game in hand and it’s not too much of a stretch to expect to see both teams win all of their conference games between now and the big showdown in Crescent City on the final day of the month.
Game one was an exciting one for the large crowd in attendance in sunny conditions in The Friendly City.
Mariah Bravo continued to lead the way at the plate for the home team and is playing an an MVP level this spring.
But it was the team defense, which didn’t have its best day, that helped seal the victory after turning a game-ending double play just as the Warriors were threatening to pull even in the top of the seventh.
Junior right fielder Olivia Hayes made a catch in right center field and threw hard to second base to complete the double play and give the Huskies a very important win.
“Olivia made an outstanding play to end the game,” Fortuna head coach Eric Helms said.
But the visitors would respond in emphatic fashion, scoring seven runs in the top of the first inning of game two to take control and all but end the game as a contest after it had barely started.
Outstanding freshman Addi Whitford hit a grand slam in the inning to set the tone for her teammates, and senior Khloe Smith hit a two-run home run in the same inning.
Smith remarkably would hit a two-run home run in her next at-bat an inning later, and the Warriors led 9-0 heading into the third.
After a shaky defensive performance in game one, the Warriors picked up their game in game two, and that, coupled with the ever-consistent pitching from senior Shay Nolan in the circle and the impressive bats, was more than enough to see the Warriors over the line.
“We pride ourselves on our defense, but our defense let us down (in game one),” Del Norte head coach Aaron Healy said. “With a pitcher that gets a lot of ground outs and fly balls we can’t make errors.”
That did not happen in game two.
“We ran the bases better, we were patient at the plate — we didn’t chase balls as much — and my defense showed up,” Healy said. “When we have the whole package, we’re hard to beat.”
Especially when Nolan throws as effectively as she did on Saturday.
“I thought Shay did a fantastic job in the circle,” Healy added of the team ace who is working with a new pitching coach this year. “She’s moving the ball around in the strike zone and getting ground outs and fly balls. She’s really doing a good job.”
The Huskies, meanwhile, had a good day at the plate, especially the always dangerous Bravo and Isabel Sanchez, the latter of whom continues to impress in just about every aspect of the game.
“I was very pleased with how we swung the bats,” Fortuna head coach Eric Helms said. “Our defense was a little shaky at times, but when you play a high quality opponent like that, a split is not a bad result.
“Bravo keeps on swinging a very hot bat, and Isabel had a very good day at the plate in the first game.”
Likewise with Evalynn Little.
No final stats were immediately available for the Huskies in game one.
Carlee Harper led the Warriors at the plate in game one and finished 2-for-4, while Whitford, Nolan and inspirational team leader Tsinte Steinruck each added a base hit.
“I thought they did a good job of staying in the game,” Healy said of his players’ opening game performance.
In game two, Smith was 2-for-3 with the two home runs, while Whitford was 2-for-2 with her home run and had two walks as she continues to play at a level you don’t often see from a freshman.
The Del Norte outfield trio of Tayler Starkey, Bliss Blackburn and Bella Arriola all impressed on defense.
“They all made some nice catches and did their job very well,” Healy said.
Bravo finished 2-for-3 in game two for the Huskies, while Addi Collenberg, Myra Hayes, Little and Sophia Castillo each also had a hit in the loss.
Little drove in Sanchez for the team’s only run of the game.
Fortuna is now 12-2 overall, while Del Norte is now 11-2.
